City Treasurer and 7th Congressional District candidate Melissa Conyears-Ervin gets ready to eat at Manny's Deli on Jefferson Street. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
For over 7o years, Illinois Democrats have a tradition of getting together at Manny's Deli on Election Day to swap stories, exchange polling information and break bread.
The big picture: This year, there was a last-minute push by one Democrat leader to boycott the lunch over politics, but it didn't work.
Several of the state's elected officials and primary candidates stopped by the famous deli to mingle.
What they're saying: "We don't need more division," Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza tells Axios. "This is a place where we can come together, take our gloves off, eat, refuel, and then go back out there and kick butt."
The lunch crowd at Manny's on Election Day. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
Zoom out: Manny's owner Danny Raskin says he doesn't know when the tradition started, but he has photos of politicians gracing his restaurant on Election Day dating back to the '50s.
The vibe: It's always interesting to see opposing candidates who have attacked each other throughout a campaign come together.
"We don't cry in this city," Mendoza tells Axios. "We just go out there and we fight to the last second, but we do love a good pastrami sandwich."